Crossroads
by TheLostSaga
Summary: When the average person yearns for power and attains it they become drunk with it. The addiction for more power never ceases to satisfy the urge for something even greater, but once it costs you everything. Will that high have been worth it?


**A Soldier's Story: Chapter 1  
**

When one of the most powerful nations desired to end conflicts without the need of sacrificing many was the time a new arms race began. Many veteran military leaders yearned for a weapon system that would produce results without the cause of casualties to their own. The answer to that was the first mobile bipedal artillery platform, the Muscle Tracer.

At first Muscle Tracers were outfitted with heavy weaponry, but as their threat to the overall power struggle in the world became common knowledge limitations were set on them. These heavy resource machines were precious to one western nation. They were used with such efficiency in their operations they paved the way to newer generations of machines to come after them.

A young sergeant threw his pen at his desk in frustration. He stared at his blank piece of paper while his pen rolled down the side.

"I hate having to study military history. What good will it do me when I'm in the middle of a firefight?" he said as he leaned back in his chair.

"It's because studying history gives birth to new innovations. We learn from past mistakes and apply those lessons for the future. Ranging from military tactics to inventions everything has benefitted us in some way or form. Quit being lazy Jean it's only a short lesson."

"Listen here Bookworm. I always wondered why you went enlisted rather than becoming some brain smart officer."

Jean dragged his chair towards an open window on the other side of the room. He a cigarette out from his pocket and lit it up as he stared blankly at the ceiling.

"Why do you always have to make fun of me?"

"So how's your kid brother?" Jean asked, ignoring his question.

"He's doing fine, but you didn't answer my question."

"Why do you get so butt hurt all the time Alex?"

"You just get promoted and you're already acting like an ass. I never thought I'd see the day."

"Getting this rank just means I can tell you what to do from now on" Jean said pounding his chest. He raised his cigarette to his mouth then blew a stream of smoke out the window. "So, looks like we're deploying again."

"This is going to be my last one." Alex said in a lower tone.

"So you've decided to do something with your life eh?"

"Yeah, developing a better version of those bad boys," Alex pointed out the window towards a large machine with legs bent like that of a chicken outside. "I was offered to work with one of the current contractors supplying Muscle Tracers to the army."

"It must have been a nice sum of money for you to give up on the military like that. I'm sure your parents are going to be ecstatic when they hear about this."

"There you go using big words you shouldn't be using again. Don't worry about my family they'll be fine."

Jean closed his eyes. He pushed out another stream of smoke from his lungs as he listened to the silence following his friend's voice. The cigarette he held was weightless compared to a single bullet. He took another hit from his cigarette as a heavy wind brushed his face.

"Move it Jean!" Alex shouted. He tackled him into a ditch as a large mechanical leg tore the ground out from where they were. A large mechanical body crashed into a building beside them tearing down its infrastructure.

"Get the pilot out!" a soldier shouted.

Automatic gunfire and explosions rang in the air. The sound of bullets snapping around them threw dirt onto Jean's face. Alex regained his composure first frantically shouting at his friend to get on his feet, but all Jean could hear was the ringing in his ears and the pounding of his heart. He could still feel his grip on this weapon, a good sign. Slowly he could feel the blood rush back into his limbs.

"Jean! We have to go! Jean!" Alex continued to shout and tug at his comrade.

A group of soldiers behind them dragged out the bloodied pilot. The pilot's boots dragged on the ground leaving a trail of blood behind him as he was dragged away. Bullets pounded on the Muscle Tracer's body hoping to catch an unsuspecting soldier. Jean stared at the opened cockpit hatch of the Muscle Tracer. To Alex he must have had a long blank stare, but beneath his skin his blood was pumping like no other. He rose to his feet, to Alex's astonishment, and made a full sprint towards the Muscle Tracer. He scaled the machine's body in record time with full body armor on. Then before he knew it the air in his lungs thrust from his body as he threw himself into the cockpit of the Muscle Tracer.

The cockpit darkened to the closing of the hatch. The grip he once held on his weapon were now on the controls of the Muscle Tracer. His hearing once lost was now filled with chatter from the radio that powered on as the hatch sealed shut. His feet which lost their strength were now planted firmly on pedals beneath him. He felt neither determination nor revenge against the enemy who gunned down his comrade-in-arms. A smile curled at the end of his lips. His blood boiled with excitement.

The cockpit illuminated from three monitors as it sealed itself. Scrambled chatter screamed from the radio reporting attacks and withdraws from various points around the battlefield. Jean ignored the white noise. Instead, his eyes were focused on the monitors in front of him. The AI was automatically targeting every moving humanoid before the Muscle Tracer surrounding them in a red rectangular box. With no hesitation Jean took hold of the controls and squeezed down on the trigger.

Adrenaline pumped through his veins. He felt an unusual sense of pleasure swell from inside him, but his enjoyment was cut short as he heard a blaring alarm deafening him. A larger red box appeared on his screen enclosed around another bipedal machine. Before he could react the alarm burst once again. This time two green boxes closed around on two silver circles. His jaw dropped at the realization of his helplessness. There was no time to move. He watched several numbers beside the green circles count down at an extremely fast rate. He closed his eyes he saw the numbers reach zero.


End file.
